First Committee, 10th plenary meeting - General Assembly, 81st session

Good afternoon, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. The 10th meeting of the Disarmament and International Security Committee of the 81st session of the General Assembly is called to order. Distinguished delegates, the committee will begin this afternoon with its general debate on all disarmament and international security agenda items allocated to it in order to exhaust the list of speakers. As you are aware, the general debate should end this afternoon. There are three speakers remaining on the list of speakers. The committee has also agreed that At least one and a half hours of the general debate will be devoted to a statement by civil society. We will now continue with our list of speakers for the general debate, and I urge all delegations taking the floor to kindly keep in mind the suggested time limit for the statement. With this, now I give the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mr. Chairman, Dear Lok Badoe, my delegation wishes to echo previous speakers in congratulating you and the other members of the Bureau on your election. We assure you of our full support and cooperation. The Democratic Republic of the Congo aligns itself with the statement made by Namibia on behalf of the African Group. We wish to add the following in our national capacity. International security and global peace have always been a source of concern for our organization. However, today, our world is increasingly facing growing tensions and nuclear rhetoric, which is increasing in bitterness, and nuclear weapons states are voicing that rhetoric. As such, we should note that after 81 years, it's 81 years since the inception of the United Nations, and a great deal still remains to be done to reaffirm the sacred nature of the United Nations Charter and the aspiration that underpinned its creation, that of saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war. However, unfortunately, we note that nuclear weapons states continue to modernize their nuclear arsenals, and military expenditure is only increasing. In 2025 alone, global military expenditure reached $292 trillion. That is an increase to the tune of 2.9% in real terms on 2024, this money could contribute to closing the deficits that remain to achieve the SDGs so that we can in fact leave no one behind. In view of this sober reality, there is an urgent need to rebuild. trust and to demonstrate political will so that States take tangible measures to renew their commitments in the field of nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy within the framework of the implementation of the NPT and its three pillars. This treaty remains the cornerstone of the disarmament regime. Unfortunately, this desire is far from being fulfilled following the failure for the third time in a row of the work of the review conference to the NPT. They were for a third time unable to reach a tangible consensus-based outcome. Here, we reaffirm that multilateral diplomacy and constructive engagement remain crucial if we are to overcome disarmament challenges, as well as those posed by nonproliferation and international security, in accordance with the principles and goals enshrined within the United Nations Charter and the first SSOD. The Democratic Republic of the Congo will continue, for its part, to support multilateral endeavors in the field of disarmament, Against this backdrop, my delegation welcomes the increasing global support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. We call all states to participate in the first review conference of the TPNW that will be held in New York between the 30th of November and the 4th of December 2026 under the presidency of South Africa. The DRC encourages non-party states to the TPNW to accede to the treaty in order to expedite its universalization process. Chair, humanity as a whole is, and this is patently clear, facing a growing and persistent threat. That is the threat posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. These are increasingly within reach of countries who previously did not have them. Recently, more and more people are joining military powers and are engaging in rivalry with other global powers. The universalization process of the Convention on Chemical Weapons and of the Convention on Biological Weapons must continue and must indeed pick up pace to allow these two instruments to produce fruits and to allow us to protect our people from the harmful consequences of their use, be that voluntary or involuntary. Chair, the emergence of new technologies, the advent of artificial intelligence in the military domain, and the use of lethal autonomous weapons systems are all sources of concern when it comes to international security in view of their dual use nature. The Democratic Republic of the Congo urges member states to do all they can to take decisive action to negotiate a legally binding instrument to guarantee that technological progress contributes to furthering the well-being of humankind as well as to to ensuring that AI in the military domain remains compatible with international law, particularly international humanitarian law. Human beings must remain at the heart of military maneuvers. Machines must not assume control. My delegation affirms its support for the norms, rules, and principles of responsible behavior to reduce threats in outer space, and we call for the implementation of a legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space. This in order to ensure that we can make outer space a peaceful environment in view of the fact that it is a common good of humankind. Turning now to conventional weapons, my delegation remains concerned by the breakneck speed at which which we're seeing the proliferation and circulation of these weapons, it's indeed unbridled and very quick. And that is a threat to international peace and security, but also a real threat to development. We are of the view that the implementation of the provisions of various international instruments on small arms and light weapons can serve not only to provide ideal, appropriate and lasting solutions to the threats arising from the illicit trafficking of these weapons, but it can also serve to stymie terrorism. To conclude, Chair, the Democratic Republic of the Congo urges all Member States to demonstrate will and to commit to the principle of transparency when they deal with issues of disarmament and international security. This in order to ensure that together we can usher in the ideal of a lasting global peace. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Now I give the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Guinea.

Thank you very much, Chair. At the outset, sir, I would like to extend to you and the members of the Bureau our warmest congratulations on being elected. Please be assured of my delegation's support during your term of office. The Republic of Guinea associated itself with the statement made by Namibia on behalf of the African Group. I would like to make the following comments in our national capacity. Sir, the Republic of Guinea is deeply committed to multilateralism and international cooperation and calls for concrete, irreversible, and verifiable progress in the field of nuclear disarmament. In an international context which is marked by geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, and the erosion of trust among states, the existence and persistence of nuclear weapons continue to present an existential threat to humankind. The Catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences of their use are a reminder for us of the urgency of achieving their total and complete elimination. My delegation would like to express its deep concern about the increase in the global military spending while the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals continues to face significant funding gaps. We encourage the international community to pay close attention to redirecting resources to sectors which are critical to people's well-being and which contribute to our collective security, including education, health, food security, and basic infrastructure. Mr. Chair. My delegation reaffirms its commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and underscores the importance of preserving the integrity of its three pillars. We regret the lack of consensus at the 2026 NPT Review Conference, and we call for the redoubling of efforts so as to overcome our differences and prioritize dialogue and compromise so as to break the impasse. The Republic of Guinea also reaffirms the inalienable right of all States Parties to the NPT to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty and applicable international obligations. We also encourage efforts to promote the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Furthermore, my delegation welcomes the central role played by the International Atomic Energy Agency and encourages the strengthening of its technical assistance to developing countries, particularly in such areas as health, agriculture, food security, and scientific research. We further reaffirm our commitment to the Treaty of Pelindaba, which enshrines Africa as a nuclear-weapons-free zone, and we also support initiatives aimed at establishing a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East in accordance with the legitimate security concerns of all States concerned. With regard to other weapons of mass destruction, my delegation emphasizes the need to strengthen the implementation of international instruments banning chemical and biological weapons. The illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons together with terrorist activities and cross-border crime, continues to fuel instability in several parts of the world, including in the Sahel. This situation compromises the security of population, it weakens institutions and aggravates humanitarian crises, forced displacement and migratory movements, and it therefore calls for the strengthening of regional and international cooperation. In this regard, the Republic of Guinea calls for the effective implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons and the International Tracing Instrument. My delegation reaffirms its commitment to fully assume its responsibilities in the implementation of these instruments, in particular by strengthening the mechanisms for control, traceability, the fight against illicit arms trade. We also believe that the resumption of the work of the Conference on Disarmament and the Disarmament Commission is essential to reinvigorate the multilateral dialogue and advance international negotiations. Sir, The rapid progress in such areas as international intelligence provides considerable prospects for us, but their use in the military domain gives rise to serious concerns when it comes to security, responsibility, and upholding international humanitarian law. My delegation would like to emphasize the need to maintain effective human control over decisions having to do with the use of force, and to ensure that the development and use of such technologies remain in accordance with the applicable rules of international law. We also call for the continuation of an inclusive dialogue to prevent the risks associated with these technologies and to promote their responsible use, Mr. Chair. The preservation of outer space for peaceful purposes is another major challenge of our collective security. We encourage all States to prevent an arms race in outer space and to promote practical transparency, confidence-building and cooperation measures in line with international law. In conclusion, my delegation remains convinced that disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful use of technology are essential prerequisites for the achievement of a safer, more just, and a more stable world. For its part, the Republic of Guinea renews its commitment to responsible arms control, to a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons, and to an international order in which resources and scientific advances contribute primarily to peace, security, and to sustainable development. We urge the international community to demonstrate renewed political will to overcome considerations that impede progress and to strengthen multilateral cooperation for the benefit of all humankind. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished Permanent Representative of Guinea, distinguished delegates, In accordance with the committee's decisions, it is organized in a meeting that at least one and a half hours of the general debate be devoted to statements by civil society. The committee will now listen to statement by the representatives of the NGOs. I extend a warm welcome to all present today, and I would request all speakers to kindly make their statements short and no longer than three and a half minutes. In keeping with the Committee's established practice, I will now suspend the meeting to enable us to continue in an informal setting. The meeting is suspended. delegates, the first speaker on the list on this segment is Ms. Maria Pia Diboto from Association for Public Policies.

Chair, in recent years, it has indeed become increasingly clear that munitions

Delegates, this brings to an end the general debate of the Committee on all disarmament and international security agenda items allocated to it. A total of 160 delegations participated in the debate this year, compared to 156 speakers last year. I shall now call on delegations who have requested the right of reply. May I remind members that statements in the exercise of the right of reply are limited to four and a half minutes for the first interventions and two and a half minutes for the second intervention. I call on the representative of Russian Federation.

Distinguished Chair, in the course of the general debate, we have heard much repeated the same unfounded accusations against the Russian Federation. We're being accused of supposedly support violating the charter, including the territorial integrity of member states, delegations read out the same statements with identical formulations. probably taken from the same formula prepared somewhere in the West. We reject, we completely reject such claims. The Charter of the UN is not something that needs to be speculated upon. It needs to be looked at comprehensively. Talking about abiding by and respect for the principles therein is only possible if they are considered comprehensively and not taken individually. The Consensus Declaration on the Principles of International Law on the Neighborly Relations in cooperation among states in line with the UN Charter, states very clearly that the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity apply to those states which abide by the principle of equality and self-determination of peoples and which have governments which represent the entire population living on their territory without distinction for race or faith or skin color. It is clear that the Kyiv regime cannot be considered to be the government representing the interests of people in Kyiv, Donbas, and Novorossiya, which they appointed to be, unquote, terrorist non- non- non-people and specimen. Since 2014, the new authorities in Kyiv started flouting human rights in the country, the same rights that are in Article 1 of the Charter of the UN. The exhaustive list is not something that I can have there because of the time constraints, nor will I mention here what happened in 2014 when there was a coup d'etat and the prosecution began against those who were in disagreement with the new order of things. There's one

example, which is legislative enshrined in Ukraine.

Could anyone recall a single country in the world which would ban a whole language, one of the official languages of the United Nations? You can speak Arabic or Farsi in Israel or Hebrew in any country and the Islamic Republic of Iran when there is a Jewish community with its own synagogues. But in Ukraine, Russian language is prohibited. And this fact is not confusing anyone amongst the advocates of Kyiv. Some of them even decided to follow the Kyiv example. Well, you can draw your own conclusions from this. Mr. Chairman, there are consistently appeals being made to end the conflict in Ukraine. And as a matter of principle, we support this. More than that, Russia never rejected negotiations on establishing a fair settlement, taking into account the legal interests of my country when it comes to our security. But this is impossible without overcoming the consequences of detained in 2014, and removing the root causes of the crisis and eliminating the discriminatory laws in Kyiv. The Kyiv regime is avoiding a serious dialogue with the support of Western countries. For them, war is a means of political survival because for as long as Kyiv is saying that they are victorious, well, then the leadership can obtain weapons from the West, on which the West is spending a lot of money that could have been used elsewhere, for example, for sustainable development or to overcome the UN liquidity crisis and the returning to the normal format of the organization's work overall and the first committee in particular.

I thank you.

Distinguished delegates, we have come to the end of this meeting. I would like to remind delegates that The next meeting of the Committee will be held tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. S.A.P. in this conference room, when the Committee will begin its thematic discussion with an exchange with the Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and briefings by other high-level officials. Before we adjourn, let me also remind delegates that the deadline for submission of all draft resolutions and the decisions under all agenda items is tomorrow, Friday, 12 noon. And the list of speakers for the thematic debate also closes tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. All delegations intending to take the floor during the thematic debate should be inscribed on the list. The meeting is adjourned.